Exam Season
by temporalgambit
Summary: Asahi stresses himself out over a test and tries to entertain his houseguest at the same time. Noya knows what must be done.


"Asahi, what are you glaring at?"

The ace in question jumps about a mile high at the sudden unexpected intrusion into his bedroom. "I'm not glaring," he corrects once he has a second to compose himself, "I'm studying. Are you bored? You could play a video game or something…" he trails off, trying to think of other ways to keep Noya entertained for the time being. He feels a little guilty at his poor hosting, but reminds himself that they had discussed beforehand the necessity of homework over fooling around, and his upcoming exams are no laughing matter.

Nishinoya hangs halfway through the doorway, unwilling to let the matter drop. "Don't change the subject, you were _glaring_. I saw you. It was _scary_." He fakes a exaggerated shudder.

"It was?" Asahi's expression morphs into default worry. "I didn't mean for it to be."

Noya rolls his eyes good-naturedly, sauntering over and clapping his hands onto his boyfriend's shoulders. "C'mon, you know I'm just messing with you. _Anyway_ , what could possibly be so terrible in this textbook that you'd try to stare it into submission?" He leans over to take a peek. "Physics? Still? Gross."

Asahi sighs, leaning back in his desk chair. "It's not the book. I just have a headache, is all."

"A headache?" Nishinoya frowns, hands moving from shoulders to embrace him in a half-hug from behind.

"Yeah," he confirms, tilting his head back to look up at his face. "It's not awful, it's just making it really hard to concentrate."

"Hmmmmm…" Nishinoya draws out the word, planting a chaste kiss on the ace's forehead. "Why don't you come lie down for a while?"

Asahi shakes his head. "The test is tomorrow. I have to finish this."

"C'mon," Nishinoya coaxes, "just for a little while. You've been studying all week; you could probably recite that damn book if you really wanted to."

"I don't really think—"

"You've earned it. It's late. Come on, let's go."

"Noya—"

" _Please?_ Come lay with me." He flashes his most endearing grin—the one he knows Asahi can't resist—and cheers internally in victory when his face softens. 

"Fine," he agrees weakly, standing and allowing the shorter player to pull him over towards the bed, "but only for a little while."

"Deal," Noya's grin widens, and he flops down onto the mattress, scooting over and patting the space beside himself invitingly.

Asahi complies, laying down slightly more carefully than the excitable libero.

"I wanna be the big spoon," Noya announces once he's horizontal, impatiently pulling his teammate towards himself.

Asahi laughs a little. "If you insist," he concedes, turning over to face away from Nishinoya. He immediately feels the other snuggle up against his back and wrap an arm around his waist. For most couples, the position would be somewhat awkward—he has nearly a foot on his tiny companion, after all—but somehow they manage to make it work.

"Are you comfortable?" Noya asks once he's suitably settled.

"Yeah. You?"

He feels Nishinoya nod against his shirt, and then suddenly there's a hand pulling at the back of his head—which he vaguely registers as Noya undoing his hair from its bun.

"What are you doing?" he asks anyway, watching idly as the other flings his hair-tie in the vague direction of the desk.

"That stupid bun of yours is probably giving you your headache," Nishinoya explains patiently, then cheekily adds, "plus I like your hair when it's down. It's cute."

Asahi blushes despite himself, relieved that Nishinoya can't see the easy impact his words have—but at the same time sure he knows it anyway. "Is it the first thing, or the second?" he manages.

" _Shh_ …" Noya hushes, brushing the question aside, "don't tax your brain trying to figure it out. You're supposed to be relaxing, remember?" He runs his fingers through his boyfriend's hair, smirking when Asahi makes a little contented noise in the back of his throat. "Do you like that?"

The taller boy hums an affirmative, blush deepening when he feels Noya tremble with silent laughter. "What?" he asks somewhat defensively.

"You're like a big dog," Noya laughs, "like a saint bernard or something. Something big that looks like it could be scary and mean, but is actually just goofy and sweet instead."

Asahi is now positive Noya is saying these things to fluster him on purpose, and his suspicions are almost immediately confirmed when he feels the younger press his lips against the back of his neck.

They lapse into a comfortable silence after that while Nishinoya continues to play with Asahi's hair. The ace inhales and exhales slowly, marveling at the way the headache and stress from his upcoming exam begin to ebb away as he allows himself to be petted. He knows he's bound to fall asleep like this—can feel it coming from miles away—but for some reason, with Noya snuggled up against his back, he can't bring himself to care. Maybe it's the exhaustion, maybe the tension, or maybe it's something else entirely, but suddenly now seems as good a moment as any to bring up the topic, so before he can talk himself out of it he mumbles, "I love you."

Noya smiles a mile wide. "I love you too, ya big goof," he replies, planting another kiss on the back of his boyfriend's neck.

Asahi sighs in what is either relief or affection, and Noya quickly hears his breathing begin to even out. He opts to chalk this mission up as a roaring success—hell, it's far more than that. Though he had already known they were pretty much soulmates—had been sure of it, in fact—hearing it out loud is enough to make him more than a little giddy. He waits a few moments, trying to contain his excitement, and once he's sure Asahi is well and truly asleep, he reaches down to pull the blanket over the both of them. "You're gonna rock your dumb test anyway," he mutters as an afterthought, cuddling up as close as he can before letting his own eyes drift shut as well.


End file.
